What is the key difference between Agentlens and Spanlens?

Agentlens belongs to the Monitoring category with local stdio execution, while Spanlens belongs to the Monitoring category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Agentlens or Spanlens in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Agentlens and Spanlens free or paid?

Agentlens operates under a Free / Open Source model (API Key required). Spanlens operates under a Freemium model (API Key required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Agentlens lists 6 tools with 3 views and 18 GitHub stars. Spanlens lists 6 tools with 2 views and 11 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Agentlens and Spanlens together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

How do I install Agentlens or Spanlens in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Agentlens and Spanlens free to use, or do they require API keys?

Agentlens is listed under a Free / Open Source model with API Key required . Spanlens operates under a Freemium model with API Key required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Agentlens and Spanlens at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both agentkitai-agentlens and spanlens-spanlens-2 as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Agentlens has a Quality Score of 51 /100 ( Good ) with 3 views, 0 installs, and 18 GitHub stars. Spanlens holds a Quality Score of 55 /100 ( Good ) with 2 views, 0 installs, and 11 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Agentlens vs Spanlens

In-depth architectural comparison of the Agentlens and Spanlens MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Agentlens

Monitoring · Local stdio

Quality: 51/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Spanlens

Monitoring · Local stdio

Quality: 55/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Verdict Summary: Choose Agentlens if you need specialized Monitoring tools running via a local process. Choose Spanlens if your workspace requires Monitoring integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Agentlens when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Monitoring domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Free / Open Source).
You have access to required keys: AUTH_DISABLED, JWT_SECRET.
Primary tools included: SHA-256 hash-chained, append-only audit log, Cryptographically verifiable event chain to detect tampering, Multiple integration options: OpenTelemetry, OpenClaw, MCP, SDKs.

Explore Agentlens Details

Choose Spanlens when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Monitoring domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Freemium).
You have access to required keys: SPANLENS_API_KEY.
Primary tools included: Request logging with full prompt, response, and cost details, Agent tracing for multi-step workflows, Anomaly detection and alerts.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Agentlens agentkitai Monitoring	Spanlens spanlens Monitoring
Summary	Tamper-evident observability for AI agents: a SHA-256 hash-chained audit log with chain verification and signed export (EU AI Act Art. 12). Instrument any agent with zero code via npx -y @agentlensai/mcp; also ingests OpenTelemetry GenAI traces.	Query your Spanlens LLM observability from any MCP client. 7 read tools for request logs, agent traces, cost stats, anomalies, model-savings, and per-user analytics across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini. Open source, self-hostable. npx -y @spanlens/mcp-server
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Agentlens Tools (6)

SHA-256 hash-chained, append-only audit log

Cryptographically verifiable event chain to detect tampering

Multiple integration options: OpenTelemetry, OpenClaw, MCP, SDKs

Real-time web dashboard and queryable API

Signed export of audit logs for regulatory compliance

Zero-code instrumentation via npx or OpenTelemetry

Spanlens Tools (6)

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Agentlens Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "agentkitai-agentlens": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@agentkitai/agentlens-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "AUTH_DISABLED": "YOUR_AUTH_DISABLED_HERE",
        "JWT_SECRET": "YOUR_JWT_SECRET_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Spanlens Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "spanlens-spanlens-2": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@spanlens/cli"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SPANLENS_API_KEY": "YOUR_SPANLENS_API_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Agentlens is categorized under Monitoring and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Spanlens belongs to Monitoring using local stdio subprocess. Select Agentlens when you need capabilities focused on monitoring and Spanlens when you require tools for monitoring.

More alternatives to Agentlens More alternatives to Spanlens Monitoring category hub